I've been visiting C U Sushi for about a year and it never ceases to impress me. Okay, I'll just come clean and say it: it's my favorite sushi spot in Berkeley, located on Center smack-dab between Oxford and Shattuck in the city's downtown.

The roll that won me over was the Lion King. Not only does its name blanket me with nostalgia for one of my favorite movies as a kid, it changed everything I thought sushi was and could be. As a sushi novice, I was under the impression that sushi is either raw or cooked. I didn't know that sushi could be, dare I say, baked. And not just baked, but rich and buttery. This is where the Lion King comes in. This roll is filled with crab and avocado, and then topped with pieces of freshly baked salmon that are sprinkled with masago and green onion. In short, it's a little piece of heaven. The first bite is so warm and filling that I often try to drag out the moment, wondering how something could be so darn good.

Of course, the Lion King is just the beginning. They have a great selection of fresh sushi and nirigi as well as more decadent rolls like the Energy roll with its fresh water eel and yellow tail. If you're looking for something warmer, they serve very tasty udon soups. In all, everything I've tried has been pretty good and quite affordable, which is a big plus.